CN111615578B

CN111615578B - Door handle

Info

Publication number: CN111615578B
Application number: CN201880086740.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 中村俊季; 佐佐木尚; 菊地义之; 川名让; 不藤平四郎; 山田幸光; 重高宽
Original assignee: Alps Electric Co Ltd
Current assignee: Alps Alpine Co Ltd
Priority date: 2018-01-17
Filing date: 2018-11-05
Publication date: 2022-07-29
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-05
Also published as: US11851919B2; CN111615578A; JPWO2019142448A1; US20200331328A1; WO2019142448A1; EP3741938A1; EP3741938A4; JP6889286B2; EP3741938B1

Abstract

A door handle provided with an electrostatic sensor in a door handle case of the door handle, characterized in that the electrostatic sensor is formed of a flat conductor plate, or the electrostatic sensor is an electrostatic sensor in which a detection electrode is formed on a surface or inside of a flat substrate, the detection electrode has a central portion in a longitudinal direction of the detection electrode and peripheral portions in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the detection electrode, and a width in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the detection electrode is such that the peripheral portions are wider than the central portion and gradually widen toward the ends of the long side portions.

Description

Door handle

Technical Field

The invention relates to a door handle.

Background

Door handles for opening and closing doors are provided in doors of automobiles and the like, and in recent years, door handles capable of locking or unlocking doors by approaching a hand to the door handle and performing a gesture operation have appeared. Such a door handle is provided with an electrostatic sensor or the like for detecting an operation of a hand therein.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2007-270516

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

However, in order to facilitate grasping by fingers of a human hand, the surface of the door handle on the inside touched by the fingers of the hand is curved. However, when the surface of the inside of the door handle is formed of a curved surface, the distance between the surface of the inside of the door handle and the electrode of the electrostatic sensor varies depending on the position, and the detection sensitivity obtained by the electrostatic sensor is lowered in a portion where the distance between the surface of the inside of the door handle and the electrode of the electrostatic sensor is large, and thus, a finger of a hand or the like may not be accurately detected.

Therefore, a door handle is desired which can obtain detection sensitivity equivalent to that of a portion where the inner surface of the door handle is close to the electrode of the electrostatic sensor without reducing the detection sensitivity of the electrostatic sensor even in a portion where the inner surface of the door handle is distant from the electrode of the electrostatic sensor. That is, a door handle is demanded which can obtain a predetermined detection sensitivity on the inner surface of the door handle touched by a human hand without depending on the touched position.

Means for solving the problems

According to an aspect of the present embodiment, a door handle case of a door handle is provided with an electrostatic sensor therein, characterized in that the electrostatic sensor is formed of a flat conductor plate, or the electrostatic sensor is an electrostatic sensor in which a detection electrode having a central portion in a length direction of the detection electrode and peripheral portions in the vicinity of both ends in the length direction of the detection electrode is formed on a surface or inside of a flat substrate, the width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the length direction is such that the peripheral portions are wider than the central portion and gradually widen toward the ends in the length direction.

Effects of the invention

According to the disclosed door handle, a predetermined detection sensitivity can be obtained on the inner surface of the door handle touched by a human hand, regardless of the touched position.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a door handle according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the door handle designed according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the door handle according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 4 is an internal configuration diagram of the door handle according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a configuration diagram of the electrostatic sensor.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a door handle using the electrostatic sensor shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an explanatory view (1) of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 8 is an explanatory view (2) of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 9 is an explanatory view (3) of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 10 is an explanatory view of a modification 1 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 11 is an explanatory view of a modification 2 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 12 is an explanatory diagram of a modification 3 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a modification 4 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 14 is an explanatory view of a modification 5 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 15 is an explanatory view (1) of a modification 6 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Fig. 16 is an explanatory diagram (2) of a modification 6 of the electrostatic sensor according to the present embodiment.

Detailed Description

Hereinafter, embodiments for implementation will be described. The same components and the like are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted. In the present application, the X1-X2 direction, the Y1-Y2 direction and the Z1-Z2 direction are orthogonal to each other. Further, a plane including the X1-X2 direction and the Y1-Y2 direction is referred to as an XY plane, a plane including the Y1-Y2 direction and the Z1-Z2 direction is referred to as a YZ plane, and a plane including the Z1-Z2 direction and the X1-X2 direction is referred to as a ZX plane.

(door handle)

The door handle 10 will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 4. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a door handle 10, fig. 2 is a plan view, fig. 3 is a sectional view, and fig. 4 is a front view in a state where a first door handle case 11 is removed.

The door handle 10 is attached to the outside of a door of a vehicle such as an automobile. The door handle case as a frame portion of the door handle 10 is formed of a first door handle case 11 and a second door handle case 12. In the door handle 10, the electrostatic sensor 100 is covered by the first door handle case 11 and the second door handle case 12, and the electrostatic sensor 100 is provided inside the door handle 10. The second door handle case 12 is provided with a through hole 13 through which a wire 113 connected to the electrostatic sensor 100 and the like pass. The wiring 113 is provided to electrically connect the electrostatic sensor 100 to the outside of the door handle 10.

The electrostatic sensor 100 has an electrode for detecting electrostatic capacitance formed on a surface or inside of a flat substrate formed of an insulator. The substrate of the electrostatic sensor 100 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and when the longitudinal direction of the door handle 10 is the X1-X2 direction, the longitudinal direction of the substrate of the electrostatic sensor 100 inside the door handle 10 is also the X1-X2 direction, and the substrate surface of the substrate of the electrostatic sensor 100 is substantially parallel to the XY direction. The electrostatic sensor 100 may be formed of a conductive plate such as a metal plate, or may be a flexible substrate such as an fpc (flexible Printed circuits) that is held flat.

In the door handle 10 of such a configuration, in order to make it easy for the fingers of a human hand or the like to grasp the door handle 10, the surface 12a on the inside of the door handle case is formed by a concave curved surface in which the central portion 12b is recessed toward the Z1 side. The surface 12a becomes a part of a grip portion touched by a finger of a hand or the like. In the present application, the surface 12a on the Z2 side of the second door handle case 12 may be referred to as the inner surface 12a of the door handle or the inner surface 12a of the door handle case.

Here, a case where the electrostatic sensor 900 shown in fig. 5 is provided inside the door handle is considered. The electrostatic sensor 900 has a detection electrode 920 and

shield electrodes

931 and 932 formed on the surface of a rectangular substrate 110 having a longitudinal direction of X1 to X2. The detection electrode 920 is formed in the center portion of the substrate in the Y1-Y2 direction such that the longitudinal direction thereof is the X1-X2 direction, the shielding electrode 931 is formed on the Y1 side of the detection electrode 920 such that the longitudinal direction thereof is the X1-X2 direction, and the shielding electrode 932 is formed on the Y2 side of the detection electrode 920 such that the longitudinal direction thereof is the X1-X2 direction. In this electrostatic sensor 900, the width of the detection electrode 920 in the Y1-Y2 direction is constant, and is formed in an elongated shape in the X1-X2 direction.

The detection electrode 920 having a longitudinal direction of X1 to X2 is formed on the substrate 110 of the electrostatic sensor 900, and a touch of a finger of a hand or the like on the inner surface 12a of the door handle can be detected by a change in electrostatic capacitance between the detection electrode 920 of the electrostatic sensor 900 and the finger of the hand or the like. The capacitance detected by the electrostatic sensor 900 and the detection electrode 920 of the electrostatic sensor 900 depend on the distance between the fingers of the hand or the like, and when the distance between the detection electrode 920 of the electrostatic sensor 900 and the fingers of the hand or the like is short, the capacitance increases, and when the distance between the detection electrode 920 of the electrostatic sensor 900 and the fingers of the hand or the like is long, the capacitance decreases. When the capacitance detected by the electrostatic sensor 900 is large, the detection sensitivity is high, and therefore, the touch of a finger of a hand or the like on the surface 12a of the door handle can be accurately detected, but when the capacitance detected by the electric sensor 900 is small, the detection sensitivity is low, and therefore, the touch of a finger of a hand or the like on the surface 12a of the door handle on the inside cannot be accurately detected.

Specifically, the description will be made based on a sectional view of the door handle shown in fig. 6. The door handle shown in fig. 6 is provided with an electrostatic sensor 900 shown in fig. 5. In the central portion 12b where the inner side surface 12a of the door handle is most recessed toward the Z1 side, the distance between the inner side surface 12a of the door handle and the electrostatic sensor 900 is short. Thus, in a portion where the distance between the inner surface 12a of the door handle and the electrostatic sensor 900 is short, when a finger of a hand or the like contacts the central portion 12b of the inner surface 12a of the door handle, the distance between the electrode of the electrostatic sensor 900 and the finger of the hand or the like is short, and therefore the finger of the hand or the like can be detected with high detection sensitivity.

However, in the peripheral portion 12c near the end on the X1 side of the inner surface 12a of the door handle and the peripheral portion 12d near the end on the X2 side, since the distance between the inner surface 12a of the door handle and the electrostatic sensor 900 is long, even if a finger of a hand or the like comes into contact with the

peripheral portions

12c, 12d of the inner surface 12a of the door handle, the change in electrostatic capacitance is small, and the detection sensitivity is low, so that there is a case where it is not possible to detect with high accuracy that the finger of the hand or the like touches the inner surface 12a of the door handle.

Since the curved surface portion of the inner surface 12a of the door handle is a portion touched by a finger or the like of a hand, there are cases where the central portion 12b is touched and there are cases where the

peripheral portions

12c and 12d are touched. Therefore, a door handle is desired that can detect a finger of a hand or the like touching the inner surface 12a of the door handle with high accuracy, regardless of whether the finger of the hand touches the central portion 12b or the

peripheral portions

12c and 12d, as long as the finger touches the inner surface 12a of the door handle.

Further, although the above-described problem does not occur if the electrostatic sensor 900 is formed in a shape corresponding to the curved portion of the inner surface 12a of the door handle, since the substrate 110 of the electrostatic sensor 900 is a flat hard substrate formed of glass epoxy resin or the like, it is extremely difficult to bend the substrate 110 into a desired curved surface, and since forming an electrode pattern on a curved surface rather than a flat substrate is an extremely complicated process, a lot of time and cost are required, so that the door handle becomes expensive.

(Electrostatic sensor)

Next, the electrostatic sensor 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 7. In the electrostatic sensor 100 according to the present embodiment, the detection electrode 120 and the

shield electrodes

131 and 132 are formed on the surface of the rectangular flat substrate 110 having the longitudinal direction of X1 to X2. The detection electrode 120 is formed at the center portion of the substrate 110 in the Y1-Y2 direction such that the longitudinal direction thereof is the X1-X2 direction, the shield electrode 131 in the X1-X2 direction is formed on the Y1 side of the detection electrode 120, and the shield electrode 132 in the X1-X2 direction is formed on the Y2 side of the detection electrode 120. The Y1-Y2 direction is the width direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In addition, the detection electrode 120, and the shielding

electrodes

131 and 132 may also be formed inside the substrate 110 instead of on the surface of the substrate 110.

In the electrostatic sensor 100 according to the present embodiment, the width W1 of the central portion 121 of the detection electrode 120 in the Y1-Y2 direction is formed with a constant width, but the width of the peripheral portion 122 near the end 120a on the X1 side in the Y1-Y2 direction gradually widens toward the end 120a on the X1 side, and becomes the width W2 at the end 120 a. In addition, in the peripheral portion 123 near the end 120b on the X2 side, the width in the Y1-Y2 direction gradually becomes wider toward the end 120b on the X2 side, and becomes the width W3 at the end 120 b. Thus, by making the width of the detection electrode 120 in the Y1-Y2 direction wider at the

peripheral portions

122, 123 than at the central portion 121, the detection sensitivity at the peripheral portions can be improved. In the present application, the gradually widening structure also includes a structure in which a partial width of the detection electrode 120 is partially narrowed, for example, a structure in which only one position is slightly recessed and which is not regular as divided, and a structure in which other electrodes, members, through holes, and the like are arranged.

However, as shown in equation 1, the capacitance C is proportional to the area S of the electrode and inversely proportional to the distance d between the electrodes. And epsilon is the relative permittivity of the second door handle case 12 and the like.

[ numerical formula 1]

In the present embodiment, the capacitance is reduced in the

peripheral portions

12c, 12d on the X1 side and the X2 side of the surface 12a on the inside of the door handle case because of the distance from the electrostatic sensor 100, but the reduction in the capacitance is compensated for by enlarging the area of the electrodes, and the value of the capacitance is made substantially the same in both the central portion 12b of the surface 12a on the inside of the door handle case and the

peripheral portions

12c, 12d on the X1 side and the X2 side, thereby preventing the sensitivity of the

peripheral portions

12c, 12d from being lowered. Further, in the

shield electrodes

131 and 132, the peripheral portions near the ends in the X1-X2 direction become narrower in width in the Y1-Y2 direction in accordance with the shapes of the

peripheral portions

122 and 123 of the detection electrode 120.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 8, in the case where the distance from the electrostatic sensor 100 to the surface 12a of the central portion 12b of the surface 12a on the inner side of the door handle case is made to be L1, the width in the Y1-Y2 direction of the central portion 121 of the detection electrode 120 is made to be W1, and the distance from the electrostatic sensor 100 to the surface 12a of the peripheral portion 12c of the surface 12a on the inner side of the door handle case is made to be L2, the width W2 in the Y1-Y2 direction of the peripheral portion 122 of the detection electrode 120 corresponding to the position is formed such that W2 ≈ W1 × L2)/L1. Further, the peripheral portion 12c of the inner surface 12a of the door handle case is located at a position corresponding to the X1-side end 120a of the peripheral portion 122 of the detection electrode 120.

In addition, in the case where the distance of the surface 12a of the peripheral portion 12d of the surface 12a on the inner side of the door handle case from the electrostatic sensor 100 is L3, the width W3 of the peripheral portion 123 of the detection electrode 120 corresponding to the position in the Y1-Y2 direction is formed such that W3 ≈ W1 × L3)/L1. Further, the peripheral portion 12d of the inner surface 12a of the door handle case is located at a position corresponding to the X2-side end 120b of the peripheral portion 123 of the detection electrode 120.

Further, in the present embodiment, the distance L between the inner surface 12a of the door handle case and the electrostatic sensor 100 may be formed to be substantially proportional to the width W of the detection electrode 120 at the corresponding position in the Y1-Y2 direction. The distance L between the inner surface 12a of the door handle case and the electrostatic sensor 100 may be substantially the same as the width W of the detection electrode 120 in the Y1-Y2 direction.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 9, a control unit 150 is provided in the electrostatic sensor 100, and the control unit 150 is connected to the detection electrode 120 and the

shield electrodes

131 and 132. The control unit 150 can measure the capacitance between the detection electrode 120 and the finger of the hand or the like by applying a voltage from the control unit 150 to the detection electrode 120 to measure the amount of current flowing. Any one of the ground potential, the bias potential of the predetermined potential, and the potential equal to the potential applied to the detection electrode 120 is applied from the control unit 150 to the

shield electrodes

131 and 132. Then, the control unit 150 applies a voltage to the detection electrode 120, detects the capacitance, and determines a touch operation, a gesture operation, and the like based on the value of the detected capacitance. Further, by providing the

shield electrodes

131 and 132, it is possible to suppress a variation in capacitance due to noise or the like, and in the present embodiment, it is possible to suppress a variation due to noise, unintentional contact, or the like from the side surface in the Y1-Y2 direction in particular.

Thus, in the present embodiment, even in the

peripheral portions

12c and 12d where the distance between the inner surface 12a of the door handle 10 and the electrode of the electrostatic sensor 100 is long, the detection sensitivity of the electrostatic sensor 100 is not lowered, and the same detection sensitivity as that of the central portion 12b can be obtained. That is, on the inner surface 12a of the door handle touched by the finger of the person, a certain detection sensitivity can be obtained regardless of the touched position. Therefore, on the surface 12a on the inner side of the door handle 10, it is possible to detect that a finger or the like of a hand touches the surface 12a on the inner side of the door handle 10 without depending on the touched position. Further, since the door handle according to the present embodiment changes only the electrode pattern formed on the electrostatic sensor 100, it can be manufactured at the same cost as the electrostatic sensor 900 shown in fig. 5.

(modification example)

As shown in fig. 10, in the present embodiment, only the detection electrode 120 may be provided on the surface of the substrate 110, and the

shield electrodes

131 and 132 may not be provided.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 11, in the structure in which the detection electrode 220 is provided on the Y2 side and the shield electrode 231 is provided on the Y1 side, the detection electrode 220 whose longitudinal direction is the X1-X2 direction may have a central portion 221 that is narrower in width in the Y1-Y2 direction and a width in the Y1-Y2 direction that gradually widens toward the X1 side end 220a and the X2 side end 220 b. That is, the width in the Y1-Y2 direction of the peripheral portion 222 near the end 220a on the X1 side and the width in the Y223 near the end 220b on the X2 side may be larger than the width in the Y1-Y2 direction of the central portion 221 of the detection electrode 220. The shield electrode 231 formed so that the X1-X2 direction is the longitudinal direction is gradually narrower toward the X1 side end and the X2 side end in the Y1-Y2 direction, corresponding to the shape of the detection electrode 220.

As shown in fig. 12, in the present embodiment, 2 electrode portions corresponding to the detection electrodes 120 may be formed, and the 2 electrode portions corresponding to the detection electrodes 120 may be connected on the X1 side to form a U-shape. Specifically, the detection electrode 125 may have a structure in which 2

electrode portions

125a and 125b each having a length direction of X1 to X2 are arranged in the Y1 to Y2 direction, and the electrode portion 125a and the electrode portion 125b are connected to the end portion on the X1 side by a connection portion 125 c. In this case, the shield electrode 135 having the X1-X2 direction as the longitudinal direction may be provided between the electrode portion 125a and the electrode portion 125b, the shield electrode 136 having the X1-X2 direction as the longitudinal direction may be provided on the Y1 side with respect to the electrode portion 125a, and the shield electrode 137 having the X1-X2 direction as the longitudinal direction may be provided on the Y2 side with respect to the electrode portion 125 a.

The detection electrode 120 may have a structure in which a central portion and a peripheral portion thereof are divided. Specifically, as shown in fig. 13, the detection electrode 120 may be divided into a plurality of parts, including a central detection electrode 321 corresponding to the central part 121 of the detection electrode 120, a peripheral detection electrode 322 corresponding to the peripheral part 122 on the X1 side, and a peripheral detection electrode 323 corresponding to the peripheral part 123 on the X2 side.

As shown in fig. 14, the central detection electrode 321 and the

peripheral detection electrodes

322 and 323 may be further divided. In the case shown in fig. 14, the central detection electrode 321 may be divided into

electrodes

321a, 321b, 321c, 321d, 321e, 321f, 321g, and 321h, and arranged along the X1-X2 direction. The peripheral detection electrode 322 may be divided into

electrodes

322a and 322b, and the peripheral detection electrode 323 may be divided into

electrodes

323a and 323 b. The divided electrodes shown in fig. 13 and 14 may be connected to each other and the total capacitance may be used as a detection value, or may be individually connected to control section 150 and the detection values may be obtained individually.

In the present embodiment, only one of the ends of the detection electrode 120 on the X1 side or the X2 side may be formed to have a wider width in the Y1-Y2 direction. Specifically, as shown in fig. 15 and 16, the width of the peripheral portion 123 in the Y1-Y2 direction in the vicinity of the end 120b on the X2 side of the detection electrode 120 may be larger than the end 120c on the X1 side opposite to the end 120 b. In the present application, in the electrostatic sensor shown in fig. 16, the X1-side end 120c of the detection electrode 120 may be referred to as one end, and the X2-side end 120b may be referred to as the other end.

Although the embodiments have been described in detail above, the embodiments are not limited to the specific embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope described in the claims.

In addition, the respective embodiments can be combined without contradiction, and the respective technical features in the different embodiments can also be combined.

Description of the reference numerals

10 door handle

11 first door handle housing

11 second door handle casing

12a surface

12b central part

12c peripheral portion

12d peripheral portion

100 static sensor

110 substrate

120 detection electrode

120a end (X1 side end)

120b end (X2 side end)

121 central part

122 peripheral portion

123 peripheral portion

131 shield electrode

132 shield electrode

Claims

1. A door handle having an electrostatic sensor arranged in a door handle housing,

the electrostatic sensor is formed of a flat conductive plate, or the electrostatic sensor is an electrostatic sensor in which a detection electrode is formed on the surface or inside of a flat substrate,

the detection electrode has a central portion in a longitudinal direction of the detection electrode and respective peripheral portions in the vicinity of both ends in the longitudinal direction of the detection electrode,

A width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is such that the peripheral portion is wider than the central portion and gradually widens toward the end portions in the longitudinal direction,

a surface of an inner side of the door handle touched by a human hand is formed of a concave curved surface having a central portion depressed toward a thickness direction of the door handle, a surface of the substrate of the electrostatic sensor is substantially perpendicular to the thickness direction of the door handle,

the length of the peripheral portion of the detection electrode from the electrostatic sensor to the surface of the inside of the door handle is longer than the length of the central portion of the detection electrode from the electrostatic sensor to the surface of the inside of the door handle.

2. A door handle having an electrostatic sensor arranged in a door handle housing,

in the electrostatic sensor, a detection electrode is formed on a surface or inside of a flat substrate,

the detection electrode has one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the detection electrode,

a width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is such that the width of the other end portion is wider than the width of the one end portion and gradually increases toward the other end portion,

the length of the other end of the detection electrode from the electrostatic sensor to the inner surface of the door handle is longer than the length of the one end of the detection electrode from the electrostatic sensor to the inner surface of the door handle.

3. The door handle according to claim 1 or 2,

the width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction is substantially proportional to the length from the electrostatic sensor to the surface of the inner side of the door handle.

4. The door handle according to claim 1 or 2,

the length direction of the electrostatic sensor is the length direction of the door handle.

5. The door handle according to claim 1 or 2,

a shield electrode is formed on the surface or inside of the substrate in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the detection electrode,

the shield electrode is applied with a ground potential or a predetermined potential.